Birmingham Girls Report Stranger Danger: Talk to Your Kids

Birmingham, MI — A group of girls who were visiting in the Midvale/Seaholm area Tuesday evening around 6 p.m. told police they were approached by a man who offered to give them a ride, according an email from the Birmingham Public Schools.

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“Fortunately, the girls acted appropriately and got away from him,” Marcia Wilkinson, the district’s director of communications and community engagement, said in the email.

Wilkinson shared guidelines from the National Crime Prevention Council and encouraged parents to talk to their children about them:

• Know where you are going and the safest way to get there.
• Always tell an adult where you are going and what time you’ll be back. Whenever possible, travel with a friend or group of friends.
• If you think you are being followed, go to the nearest store or public place. If there isn’t a store or public area nearby, keep moving and don’t be afraid to yell for help or make other noise to draw attention to the situation.
• Always take care when walking or biking.
• Avoid isolated areas and do not wear headphones or text while walking
• If a stranger grabs you, do everything in your power to break free. Scream “stranger” as loud as you can and run to the nearest public place or residence of a trusted neighbor.
• Never get in strangers’ vehicle under any circumstances. Do not think that if you cooperate and get in the vehicle that they will let you go.
• Always have a secret code word that only you and your parents know in the event that a friend or acquaintance of the family says your mom or dad said to give you a ride.
• Adults never need your help. If you are approached by a stranger to help find their dog, do not help and run to the nearest safe location.
• Try to remember what the suspect(s) look like and the vehicle they drove. However, the first priority is to get away and get to a safe place.
• Report anything suspicious to the police as quickly as possible and provide as much detail as you can.